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White Bristol loves black culture but not black students

Chante Joseph explains the position of black students at the University of Bristol.

Hello Epigram readers,

Welcome to my first and final read of 2017, sit back and enjoy the shade and get ready to feel uncomfortable.

The day in the life of a black Bristol student is far from amusing, whenever I pucker up the courage to leave my house getting to my 9AM on time is the last of my worries. Trying not to roll my eyes into the back of my skull every time I see a white student dressed like the seventh member of N.W.A is certainly a more challenging task.

I remember being in PRYZM for the first SCORE of the academic year and being asked by a white girl in first year where my ‘Black’ was from and how in her culture the way I was dancing ‘wasn’t very acceptable’ but she thought I could dance ‘very well’. Two questions came to mind firstly: What kind of bizarre and intrusive question is that? Babes, I don’t even know you. Secondly: What culture? Do not front sis’, I know you’ve seen Taylor Swift’s Shake it off video.

This is exactly the issue, black students are not seen as humans we’re seen as cool props, we define the culture but we’re not credited with it. You want the cool black friend but not the socially conscious one because they’re ‘too angry’, or, you like when we’re sassy and preppy but when we have to call you out you we’ve ‘got attitude’. You cannot win as a black student.

These incidents have sparked many issues, notably the lack of response by the university chancellor

These incidents have sparked many issues, notably the lack of response by the university chancellor who proceeded to list several services that students should go to, dismissing their actual problems and not reflecting on the fact that university has a lot of work to do.

Though the role of the university is incredibly important in this, these issues require a response from all of us. Realistically, your long facebook statuses and white tears really mean nothing if you do not challenge the racism in your own families and your friendship groups. Please, do not complain on Facebook about your racist uncle if you did not attempt to challenge him. It’s boring, I’m tired and you won’t get any sympathy from me.

these issues require a response from all of us.

It is very apparent that Bristol students have a bizarre obsession with black culture but are not too keen on acknowledging the issues that black students face. Whilst we’re on the topic of culture, let’s comment on this obscene obsession with Grime. I tackle this in my gal-dem piece on the Mercury Prize and heads up listening to Stormzy doesn’t mean that you’re not racist, it just means you’ve got good taste in music.

They continue to perpetuate a dangerous perception of black people

Let me tell you why dressing like you’re from Peckham when you’re from the Northern Powerhouse is an issue, I’d like to quote myself here:

This harks back to the age old idea that being black is cool despite our grievances and the suffering of our people. Middle-class white kids can take off their tracksuits and take off the accents when they’re tired of wearing our culture as a costume and walk into spaces to not be harassed or deemed a threat. They continue to perpetuate a dangerous perception of black people whilst simultaneously absolving themselves from any of the negative stereotypes attached to the culture. I see it as the equivalent of poverty porn and it’s disgusting.

Racism is systematic and insidious and you will never be at one with a system that is inherently prejudiced.

I’d like to take some time to talk directly to all black students who are hellbent on denying the very existence of racism on campus as a means of appeasing their white friends. I really don’t know what you’re putting on your avocado and toast in the morning but it has certainly got you acting silly.

You have to understand that just because you feel you have assimilated into these structures, does not mean you actually have and it certainly does not mean you’re safe forever. Racism is systematic and insidious and you will never be at one with a system that is inherently prejudiced. All the vacation schemes and fun nights out in motion cannot protect you from systematic racism, in the words of High School Musical, we’re really all in this together.

Just because you do not feel you have experienced racism does not mean that it does not exist. In addition, It should not take being racially attacked in a club for you to understand the severity of the situation. If you do not acknowledge these issues unless they’ve impacted on you directly and so blatantly, I will not be starting any hashtags for you anytime soon.

I am honestly sick and tired of black students, particularly black men, gaslighting and insisting that people are simply ‘angry’ when they call out problematic behaviour. Many of you insist that we focus on the ‘bigger picture’ but do any of you even know what that is? Or are you simply trying to ignore a blatant issue and dismiss the concerns of your fellow students.

Many of you insist that we focus on the ‘bigger picture’ but do any of you even know what that is?

Racism, like any system of oppression at its foundations is a series of microaggressions and we all know the saying microaggressions are death by one thousand cuts. So instead of insisting that we are pedantic and going out of your way creating fear around call-out culture how about engaging with the issues at hand and then perhaps students can start to create a positive environment around them.

Out of all the incidents that actually take place not all of them are reported only giving a small glimpse of the reality of the black and brown student experience. I raise awareness of this because it is time white students stopped ignoring the plight of black and brown students and profiting off our culture and actually stood with us in facing these issues.

Do you see how quickly the script is flipped when it’s two white girls? What crime was committed? Why are they victims and I the aggressor?

I want to leave you with this thought: If all the white girls wearing cornrows, bantu knots, fetishising black men and all the boys that dressed like Busta Rhymes circa 1980 religiously reciting Stormzy ‘Shut Up’ decided to actively campaign against racism as opposed to just appropriating the culture maybe we’d see some real change in society.

I came to Bristol Uni for masters course from Nigeria. I was actually surprised by the amount of racism I have encountered since I came here. I’ve been to the UK prior to this and it wasn’t this bad. A library off campus wanted to know why I didn’t chose a university “somewhere in Africa” instead of coming here. This was before they would agree to give me a library card. My personal tutor has made zero effort to know me as a person/tutee. I feel very sad about this and the fact I don’t have anyone to understand.
Thank you for this piece. Means I’m not alone.

My personal tutor made no effort with me either and yet I’m white. Probably due more to the fact that your personal tutor like mine was crap, rather than anything to do with the colour of your skin. I also wouldn’t take it too personal that someone enquired why you didn’t continue to study in Nigeria. Maybe the person was wanting to know the educational contrasts between the two countries. For people to get to know you & for you to gain the most from our great university, you will need to be open & engaging when people show an interest in your background & birth place. Try joining some social clubs as I’ve made some great friends of all colours and races. I would recommend staying away from the likes of Chante Joseph & her followers though. In my opinion, she is doing nothing but causing and encouraging segregation amongst our peers & will only make you feel more segregated. Don’t let the likes of her groom you as she is a master puppeteer. Don’t leave Bristol Uni with a chip on your shoulder. Continue your studies with a feeling of proudness, knowing how fortunate we are to study here with with happiness in your heart & don’t let your soul be poisoned. God bless

Cornrows are not “black”. Two of the earliest depictions are from 22,000 years ago, one found on a carving in Africa, the other, on a carving in Europe. Native Americans of 1,000 years ago also were known to wear cornrows. You will see cornrows on ancient Hebrew and Greek sculptures as well. So, I fail to see how something so widespread could have been appropriated culturally. The accusation demonstrates a lack of knowledge of human history.

A great piece touching on issues that are felt by the black student cohort across higher education institutions in the U.K. Also when Kathy below next finds a large community of white people that braid and cornrow their hair in the present day, rather than for cultural imitation can you come back and find me. Cornrows were heavily relied upon by African America slaves on southern plantations to keep their hair ‘in order’ and styling persists to this day. Trichology has demonstrated that Afro requires braiding to lock in moisture and minimise breakage (in a way that straighter hair does not). That aside I don’t think hairstyling was the salient point in this article Kathy. It was about a wider co-opting of culture with several very valid examples and the silencing of black voices. Indeed your comment just further evidences her point – happy to fixate on ‘cool’ cultural practices rather than discuss the pervasive racism she has faced during her university experiences. As she said really if only white people would spend this amount of energy allying and fighting the structural racism present in our society, we might actually see some progress. Shame.

An insightful and measured article – thank you Chante for your courage. For a long season to talk about racism was not politically correct. Thank God people are beginning to find their voice of truth instead of political correctness. This Elephant has been in the room for so long – its now a rotting corpse – it stinks. Familiarity with the prescence of the elephant dead or alive means the majority will disregard it’s exsistence and impact. But be encouraged as movements are always born on the margins.
Rev Jackie Davis

Just a thought – what if those girls in the picture are actually taking the piss out of white girls who dress like that – notice the extreme orange foundation? That’s not blackface, that’s orange. Not in any way defending the girls who dress like that day to day.

Just a thought.

Also, speaking of microaggressions, what’s with the whole avocado toast thing? It’s a well written article which is undermined by your hypocrisy and marginally camouflaged racism towards white people, which is not justified by your experience of racism towards you.

You won’t get white Bristolians and black men on your side by attacking them, you’ll only alienate them.

Have you thought about the fact that cosmetic lines centre on white skin? That it’s therefore still really hard to find an affordable foundation that matches women of colour’s skin tone? That these white girls may have discovered this themselves and so resorted to the shade you notice in the picture as a ‘best’ fit?

Have you noticed that one of the girls said “I’ve been wanting to get my hair done in braids for a while now” and that her comment does not scream “I’m taking the piss out of white girls who dress like people of colour” but instead stems from the trope of blackness being a cool commodity that can be borrowed, safely, by white people, who experience none of the (historic, contemporary, overt or insidious) racism that comes with it.

Have you considered the possibility that the dry reference to “avocado on toast” is not a petty attack on white people’s lifestyles, but a serious reference to obsession with – and wilful blindness to – something that has harmful consequences (see link below)?

How do white people really experience ‘a system in which a racial majority is able to enforce its power and privilege over another race through political, economic and institutional means’? ‘Reverse racism’ is a fallacy.

I’m white, I’m privileged and yes, I’m ‘thinking’ and ‘noticing’. I respect so-called ‘attacks’ because I’m prepared to be wrong and I’m ready to learn. It’s not people of colour’s job to get you ‘on side’. Why should they have to make their experience of oppression palatable? Since thinking and noticing is important to you, I think you’d appreciate that it’s our job to do the ‘realising’ too.

Black people must stop complaining of being racist on. They must stop moaning and follow the concept of the wall ie as the wall bounces the ball back to whoever threw it to hit the wall, so shall black person bounce the racist back to the one who started it.

This doesn’t surprise me at all. I moved to Bristol 30 years ago to study (I still live here but have nothing to do with FE) and there have always been University students who simply cannot cope with the idea that there are there are students who are ‘different’ regardless of whether that’s because of wealth, colour, politics, sexuality etc. etc. They’re usually the ones that spend three years without venturing outside Park Street, Clifton and Redland before moving back to the Home Counties and pestering Daddy to find them a job in ‘The City’ or similar.

Wow Chatnte this article is great and precise. I have been living in Bristol for 15 years and I’ve witnessed the culture shift myself. Suddenly every white youth is dressing black and I say dressing black inregards to our style and our hair styles etc. They start listening to music we do and dance like us imitating our culture. But then there is still the underlined racism that’s completely brushed under the carpet and over looked. Whenever you try to bring it up it’s met with a oh here we go again type of vibe.(by most not all whites) Black men have gone stupid entirely, most black men I see now a days have a white girl on their arm. So when I see a black couple I’m almost shocked lol. It’s a complete culture shift whites are trying to take over the black culture subconsciously. They be acting like they haven’t rapped our culture or woman and men and our knowledge enough? It’s like black people are forgetting we can’t fully trust the white system because it will chew us up and spit us out. So when you think you haven’t experienced racism and it’s bless for your white mates to be dressing and talking like you but then it’s ok for them to go home to their privileged lives and leave you in the slums and ghettos. Sleeping well at night like I’m sure glad I ain’t actually black. You need to start becoming more wise and fix up look sharp because when push comes to shove they won’t ever know what it feel like to be us. Now don’t get me wrong I know that not all white youths really see the bigger picture so they’re naive to it all. I know I have white friends who really don’t have it easy who have to pay their own mortgage because of circumstance with parents. And who they are is just them and I respect that completely but the ones who are just following our culture for fashion please stop taking the piss you look stupid.

This is a really well written an important article, thank you. I say that as a white student at a very white university, confused by this strange attitude of many of students. It seems like a way of avoiding their wealth, perhaps finding their own race ‘boring’ and ‘uncool’.
I don’t think class is an excuse, these people are learning at a university, you’d expect some kind of deeper thought process. However, most of the schools (in fact including mine) that people came from, maybe had 10 black people present at one time. And this is not their fault. Not thinking about the implications of their mimicking and dressing up, or their manner of ‘learning’ black culture, is.
I can understand feeling shame about your wealth and privilledge, but the answer to this is not to turn around and downright pretend to be something you clearly (from your lack of understanding and respect) are not.
It’s a shame how music and film and the brainwashing qualities of popular culture/mainstream media have shoved this ‘gangsta’ rap culture down people’s throats in a way that they think this is a response to feeling lost and without identity, and a good way to present themselves, if looking for an ‘edgy’ alternative to their own culture.

The avocado toast comment is funny, I actually love avocados, I love eating them on toast, and so do a whole cohort of snobbish, ignorant (predominantly white) Bristol Uni students, who make a few of us cringe unbearably when they walk past talking about their holiday in Antigua wearing full adidas and nike slides (in an attempt to look like their fave grime artist), when they pop up on your Facebook later as so-and-so Ickinswani, profile pic showing their white babyface photoshopped in with grillz n chains next to dead black rappers, standing outside their million-pound West London house, the next boasts guns and mug shots, child gangs in 90s LA… ?!

Bristol Uni is sadly and shamefully, a perfect example of this. From what I’ve heard, and seen on social media, the other ‘Russell Group’ uni’s (supposedly the best in the country) aren’t far behind. I’m not sure if it’s hopeful or not but it seems much of the instilled racism on campus is outdated, strange stereotyping that students have learned from traditional pompus parents, that they perform but may not actually believe in any contemplative way. Just a thought.

Unfortunately, there are so many things to criticise in the way uni students dress, speak, act. We all think we know everything, hurt no one, deserve everything.

Have you ever heard Sussex Uni students accusing each other of eating Haribo?! Or seen UCL students dressing up for for a protest – e.g. to revoke a democratic vote- whilst talking about the importance of democracy?
So many hipocrisies. We are ignorant and need to be shown what we do wrong, so I hope people read this and instead of taking offense, barking back defensive remarks and accuse you of being angry and alienating, that they can bitterly and shamefully laugh at how stupid we are.

Yup, exactly the same happened to my daughter by a gang of blacks girls. We were just walking past & didn’t even make eye contact before the attack. But do you know what, she is beautiful (i know she is my girl) , but she is actually stunningly beautiful, happy & living life to the full. It has made her more determined to enjoy life. So I don’t buy any of the BS I’ve just read.

haha well written
i had to leave bristol in 2016 i had enough after 10 years of the veiled racism, gentrification of black areas and yes black bristolian men are flaky when it comes to defending sisters.
problem is bristol is a very pretty city but it is very very very white.
the amount of trustfarians who love to pretend they are left wing / white rastas but they will blank you if you say hello to them!
briatolian black men on a whole are very insular and will not speak to you if you are not from there.
very backward looking place. although i did make one maybe 2 friends up there, and i liked the geography, i would never ever live there again.
come to the midlands instead
yeah the crime is very high and the weather is crap but they are leas racist.

Claiming that “black students are not seen as humans” is a little extreme. I am yet to meet a single person with this ancient opinion. And this article mainly seems to be an attack on white students for taking interest in music/culture from black or ethnic minority groups. I don’t think that “white” appreciation of NWA is a negative; some would argue it is actually a total 180 from the original generic white opinion when NWA first debuted.

Also, it is very presumptuous to assume that no white person is aware of negative stereotypes associated with black culture. But this, along with “poverty porn” is not what people think about when they listen to Stormzy or put on a tracksuit, and perhaps that is a good thing. Would you rather white people only regarded your culture and things within it negatively? I’m pretty sure that would also be racist. Also very presumptuous to say there is widespread white indifference about black students.

For some of this you are literally talking about clothes, and hairstyles. If you want equality, surely that starts with supporting the idea that no matter what your skin colour, you can dress and look however you please. Skin colour needn’t come into it, even if the trend originated from a specific group of people. Suggesting that people shouldn’t dress like they come from “Peckham” if they don’t, kind of amplifies the social prejudice you presumably are against.

I do agree that there have been racist incidents on campus and you’re right, it needs to be addressed. I cannot defend the University in any way for dismissing it as an issue just because incidents are few and far between, or perhaps because people are not reporting them accurately. You have a right to be mad, but lets stick to the real issues? Rather than draw much attention to these issues and what to do in the event of experiencing racial harassment, you’ve basically ridiculed or shamed white people for liking the same music as you and dressing the way that black students stereotypically dress. You are also making the ridiculous suggestion that white people have absolutely no right to show an interest or even explore your culture unless they experience the prejudice that your culture has faced and is continuing to face. I mean, isn’t that inherently racist in itself? Does this also apply to Jazz? Does this make Frank Sinatra (a white jazz singer) exploitative for taking interest in jazz music (originating from Black African Americans) and becoming very famous, just because he’s white? No, probably not. Does this mean white people can’t like Beyonce? Etc, etc.

Not only this, you are also isolating your own ethnicity. You’re providing stereotypes of what the black community like to listen to, and how they like to dress. You’re putting people into boxes, saying that black and white culture should remain separate purely because white people have not endured the same history as black people. This is ridiculous. You are basically suggesting that there should be a divide and white students should stick to white culture and black students alike. This is not multiculturalism and diversity – this is using racist incidences that have occurred on campus to fuel your fire and apparent contempt for white students. Don’t bother trying to sugar coat it with minimally amusing jokes. If white support is what you want, don’t accuse white students of wearing your culture as a costume as if they don’t care about black students and only do it for vanity. Trust me, the majority do care, until they’re accused of things like “poverty porn”.

Wow, you really made something that could have a good message into a silly student rant.

Also – NWA and Rap are American, not a universal black fan club, so you as an English person have less right to like it than any American, white or black or whatever. If anything you are appropriating American culture as an English person.

An article like this has valid points, of course, but splitting and simplifying as you have done is immature and inaccurate